Markham, Ontario · Physician-performed

SkinPen Microneedling in Markham

Rejuvenate your skin with SkinPen® Precision, Health Canada-approved microneedling that naturally boosts collagen for healthier, smoother, and more youthful-looking skin. Safe for all skin types, it enhances texture, tone, and firmness with natural, long-lasting results.

Price

from $350

Appointment

60 minutes

Performed by

Dr. Mazzuca, MD

Location

Markham, ON

Book a Consultation   Book SkinPen Microneedling directly

Quick answer

Microneedling in Markham at Dr. Monique Mazzuca Aesthetics uses SkinPen® Precision, the first microneedling device cleared by the FDA and licensed by Health Canada, and starts at $350 per session. A physician creates thousands of controlled micro-channels in the skin, which triggers new collagen and elastin over the following weeks. It improves acne scars, texture, pores, fine lines and dullness on all skin tones, with 1 to 3 days of redness. Most patients do a series of 3 to 4 sessions spaced about a month apart.

What microneedling is

Microneedling, also called collagen induction therapy, uses a pen with a sterile cartridge of tiny needles that move up and down very rapidly as it glides over the skin, creating thousands of microscopic channels per square centimetre. The channels close within minutes, but the skin responds as if it has been injured: it releases growth factors and builds new collagen and elastin over the following weeks and months.

Dr. Mazzuca uses SkinPen® Precision, a medical-grade device that was the first microneedling system cleared by the FDA and is licensed by Health Canada. It uses a single-use, sealed cartridge for each patient, an adjustable depth from 0.25 mm to 2.5 mm, and a lock-out that prevents cross-contamination, which is a meaningful difference from dermarollers and from unbranded pens sold online.

How microneedling works

Collagen is the scaffolding of the skin. From our mid-twenties we lose roughly one percent of it a year, and sun, acne and inflammation degrade what is left. Microneedling works by creating controlled micro-injuries deep enough to reach the dermis while leaving the surface almost untouched. The wound-healing cascade that follows (inflammation, then proliferation, then remodelling) lays down fresh, organised collagen in place of scarred or thinned tissue. Because the epidermis is barely disrupted, healing is fast and the risk of pigment change is low, even on deeper skin tones where lasers can be risky.

Depth matters. Dr. Mazzuca adjusts the needle depth zone by zone: shallow over the forehead and around the eyes, deeper over acne scars on the cheeks. In the SkinPen clinical study a maximum depth of 1.5 mm was used for facial acne scars.

What microneedling treats

• Acne scars (rolling and boxcar scars respond best; deep ice-pick scars may need additional treatment). In the SkinPen pivotal study of three treatments a month apart, 90% of patients reported a noticeable improvement in their acne scars at six months.
• Skin texture and enlarged pores, particularly on the nose and cheeks.
• Fine lines on the cheeks, upper lip and around the eyes, and general crepiness.
• Dullness and uneven tone, including mild sun damage and post-inflammatory marks.
• Melasma and hyperpigmentation in skin of colour, where microneedling is often chosen over lasers because it does not rely on heat or light.
• Stretch marks and surgical scars on the body.
• Skin quality on the neck, chest and hands.

Microneedling is suitable for all Fitzpatrick skin types, including East Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern and Black skin, which is one reason it is so widely used in Markham, where most patients are not fair-skinned.

How many sessions you need

One treatment produces a fresh, glowing look that patients enjoy for a few weeks, but structural change takes a series. Dr. Mazzuca's usual recommendations:

Goal	Sessions	Spacing
Glow, pores, mild texture	3	4 weeks apart
Fine lines, early ageing	3 to 4	4 weeks apart
Acne scarring	4 to 6	4 to 6 weeks apart
Stretch marks, body scars	4 to 6	4 to 6 weeks apart
Maintenance	1	Every 3 to 6 months

Collagen keeps building for three to six months after the final session, so the best "after" photo is taken a few months out, not the week after.

How much microneedling costs in Markham

SkinPen microneedling with Dr. Mazzuca starts at $350 per session for the face, with the appointment booked for 60 minutes. Adding the neck, chest or body, or combining the session with PRP ("vampire facial"), changes the price and is quoted at your consultation. New patients begin with the $50 Comprehensive Aesthetic Consultation or a $20 virtual consultation. Microneedling is cosmetic and is not covered by OHIP.

For context, medical-grade microneedling in the GTA generally runs from about $300 to $600 per session; at-home rollers cost less but do not reach the dermis and carry a real risk of infection and scarring.

Who microneedling is for, and who should wait

Microneedling suits almost any adult who wants smoother, brighter, firmer-looking skin without laser downtime, and it is one of the safest options for darker skin tones. It is particularly good for patients in their twenties and thirties dealing with the aftermath of acne, and for patients of any age who want a gradual, natural improvement rather than a dramatic one.

It is postponed or avoided if you have active acne, cold sores, eczema, psoriasis or an infection in the treatment area; a history of keloid scarring; are pregnant or breastfeeding; have taken isotretinoin (Accutane) in the past six months; have a bleeding disorder or take blood thinners; or have had radiation to the area within the past year. Dr. Mazzuca reviews your history at the consultation.

What the appointment is like

1. Cleanse and numb. A topical anaesthetic cream is applied for 20 to 30 minutes. Most patients describe the treatment afterwards as a warm, sandpapery vibration rather than pain, with more sensitivity over the forehead and jawline.
2. Treatment. Dr. Mazzuca glides the SkinPen over each zone in several directions with a sterile hyaluronic acid gel, adjusting depth as she goes. The face takes about 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Serum. Because the channels are open, this is the ideal moment for hyaluronic acid or your own PRP to be applied; it is absorbed far more deeply than at any other time.
4. Calm and protect. A soothing balm and mineral SPF finish the treatment. You leave looking as if you have a moderate sunburn.

Downtime and results timeline

Day 0 to 1: pink to red, warm and tight, like a sunburn. Day 2 to 3: redness fades to a flush; light flaking or dryness is normal. Day 4 to 7: skin looks fresh and glowing. Makeup can go on after 24 hours. In the SkinPen clinical study, redness, itching, peeling and tenderness lasted one to three days and dryness up to six days.

The early glow is from hydration and circulation. The structural change, smoother scars, tighter pores and softer lines, appears at four to six weeks and continues to improve for three to six months after the last session as new collagen matures. Results are long-lasting because the tissue is genuinely rebuilt, though skin continues to age, so a maintenance session every three to six months keeps it going.

Side effects and safety

Expected effects are redness, mild swelling, tightness, dryness and light flaking for a few days. Occasional pinpoint bleeding during treatment is normal. Uncommon effects include small bruises, a temporary acne flare, or a cold-sore outbreak in people who are prone (Dr. Mazzuca can prescribe a preventive antiviral). Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is rare with microneedling, which is why it is preferred over many lasers for darker skin, but sun protection afterwards is essential.

The serious risks in microneedling come from unsterile equipment and untrained hands: infection, scarring, and "tram-track" marks from dragging a device at the wrong depth. SkinPen's single-use sealed cartridge and Dr. Mazzuca's medical training remove those risks.

Aftercare

• For 24 hours: no makeup, no exercise or sweating, no hot showers, saunas or swimming. Use only the gentle cleanser and hydrating serum provided.
• For 3 to 5 days: no retinol, vitamin C, acids or exfoliants; no waxing or threading.
• For 2 weeks: strict mineral sunscreen SPF 30 or higher, and avoid direct sun. Sun exposure in the healing window is the one thing that can cause pigment problems.
• Do not pick or peel flaking skin.
• Resume your normal skincare routine, including retinoids, after about a week, or when Dr. Mazzuca advises.

SkinPen vs Morpheus8, chemical peels and lasers

	SkinPen microneedling	Morpheus8 (RF microneedling)	BioRePeel chemical peel	Lumecca IPL
Best for	Texture, pores, acne scars, fine lines, glow, all skin tones	Laxity, jowls, deeper scars, tightening	Tone, clarity, congestion, quick refresh	Sun spots, redness, broken capillaries
Energy	Mechanical only	Needles plus radiofrequency heat	Chemical	Light
Downtime	1 to 3 days pink	3 to 7 days	Minimal, light flaking	Darkened spots flake for about a week
Dark skin tones	Excellent	Good with adjusted settings	Good	Caution; not for tanned skin
Sessions	3 to 6	1 to 3	3 to 4	1 to 3
Starting price	$350	$733	$250	$325

The short version: if your concern is the surface (texture, scars, pores, glow) choose SkinPen; if it is loosening skin, choose Morpheus8; if it is pigment or redness, choose a peel or Lumecca. Many treatment plans alternate them.

Combining microneedling with PRP and skincare

Applying your own platelet-rich plasma to the skin during and after microneedling (often called a vampire facial) adds concentrated growth factors exactly where the channels are open. Studies in acne scarring show better improvement and faster healing when PRP is added to microneedling compared with microneedling alone. Dr. Mazzuca draws the blood, spins it in clinic and applies it in the same visit; see the PRP page for details.

Results also depend on what you do at home. A medical-grade retinoid, vitamin C and daily SPF between sessions extend and protect the collagen you are building. Dr. Mazzuca will simplify your routine to the few products that matter.

Why patients choose a physician for microneedling in Markham

Microneedling is offered by aestheticians and spas across York Region at a range of depths and with a range of devices, some of them not licensed for medical use. At this clinic the assessment, the treatment and any follow-up are all performed by Dr. Mazzuca, a licensed physician (MD, CCFP) with additional training in cosmetic medicine and facial anatomy. That means a proper diagnosis of what your scars or pigment actually are, a device licensed by Health Canada, medical-grade sterility, and the ability to prescribe numbing, antivirals or treatment for a complication if one arises.

Microneedling near you: serving Markham and York Region

The clinic is at 200 Cachet Woods Court, Suite 309, in the Cachet Woods professional buildings near Woodbine Avenue and Major Mackenzie Drive, with free parking on site. Patients visit from Unionville, Cachet, Angus Glen, Berczy Village, Cornell, Wismer, Markham Village, Thornhill, Richmond Hill, Stouffville, Vaughan, Aurora, Newmarket, North York, Scarborough and across the Greater Toronto Area.

Frequently asked questions about microneedling in Markham

Sources and further reading

• FDA De Novo classification summary for the SkinPen Precision System: indication, clinical study and adverse events
• SkinPen Precision, manufacturer information (Crown Aesthetics)
• SkinPen Precision in Canada (RGR Pharma, Canadian distributor)
• College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, public register.

Every treatment on this page is booked through Dr. Mazzuca's secure online system. New patients begin with a consultation; returning patients can book the treatment directly.

Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Monique Mazzuca, MD, CCFP. Last reviewed 2026-09-07.

This page is general information, not medical advice, and it is not a substitute for an in-person assessment. Results vary between patients, and every treatment carries risks that are reviewed with you before you consent. Suitability is determined by Dr. Mazzuca at your consultation.

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